Pyramid IV Esports 2-1 Arctic Pandas — EMEA Masters 2026 Results & Stats

TL;DR: Pyramid IV Esports won the EMEA Masters 2026 Season Summer LCQ series 2-1 over Arctic Pandas after entering with only a 28% pre-series market chance. Their ability to turn narrow draft edges into late-game map control mattered more than Arctic Pandas’ kill pressure in the decisive game.

Key Takeaways

• Mahonix is the series MVP after anchoring Pyramid IV Esports’ Game 1 upset on Milio with 0/2/20 and a 10.00 KDA, the protection that let the underdogs survive a 56:50 opener and reshape the entire series.
• The decisive moment arrived in Game 3: StarScreen built +1229 GoldDiff@15 on Ambessa, then Pyramid IV Esports converted that side-lane threat into 10 towers and 82.7k gold despite trailing Arctic Pandas 24-21 in kills.
• Pyramid IV Esports won the series 2-1 after two market upsets. Arctic Pandas were favored at 72% before the series, yet Pyramid IV Esports won Games 1 and 3; Game 2 was the lone expected result, though its official record shows only 0:50.

Before the Series

Arctic Pandas began as the clear public choice, carrying a 72% pre-match market price against Pyramid IV Esports’ 28%. That confidence was understandable: Arctic Pandas had the proactive ingredients to create early leads through bot priority, poke, roams, and forceful engage. But this League of Legends series became a test of whether early initiative could withstand Pyramid IV Esports’ scaling and composure.

The live draft model made a quieter prediction: Pyramid IV Esports held a 51% edge in Game 1. That call hit. Arctic Pandas’ Kehvo on Caitlyn and DIBU on Jarvan IV found openings, but moe’s Rengar answered with 9/8/9, ensuring every chase carried danger. Once objectives compressed the map, Akashii’s Cassiopeia and Mahonix’s Milio turned messy fights into Pyramid IV Esports territory.

Trading Blows

Game 1 was not simply an upset; it was the template for Pyramid IV Esports’ eventual victory. They won the kills 26-20, claimed 8 towers to 5, and reached 77.6k gold in a marathon that showed their scaling core could absorb Arctic Pandas’ pressure. The market had Arctic Pandas at 64% at draft close, but the model’s 51% lean toward Pyramid IV Esports translated when the game became a late-game endurance contest.

Arctic Pandas refused to fold. Facing elimination, they answered in Game 2 behind Boltox’s flawless Lulu line of 0/0/17 for a 17.00 KDA. Simpli added a perfect 6/0/8 on Viktor with +716 GoldDiff@15, while DIBU’s Xin Zhao finished 6/1/6. Pyramid IV Esports again owned the 51% live draft-model edge, but this was where the prediction failed: Arctic Pandas executed better and equalized.

The official 0:50 duration, 2.5k to 2.5k gold, and 0 objectives for each side leave Game 2 statistically strange. The player lines, however, preserve its competitive meaning: Arctic Pandas found the stability and lane control they needed to force a third game.

The Decider

The final game settled the series through conversion rather than raw fighting. Arctic Pandas entered with 70% market support and accumulated a 24-21 kill lead, powered by Simpli’s Azir at 8/3/12 and +1114 GoldDiff@15. Their Skarner and Leona composition could engage decisively, and for long stretches it looked capable of validating the favorite’s price.

Yet StarScreen’s Ambessa created the counterweight Arctic Pandas could not solve. His 8/4/7 score and +1229 GoldDiff@15 gave Pyramid IV Esports a side-lane threat that distorted every objective setup. Jalleba then supplied the dependable finishing damage on Tristana, posting 7/2/7 and a 7.00 KDA. The Game 3 draft model again favored Pyramid IV Esports at 51%, and this time, as in Game 1, the edge held.

Aftermath

Pyramid IV Esports won the series 2-1 because they repeatedly made the more valuable use of contested space. Arctic Pandas had more kills in the decider, but Pyramid IV Esports had the towers, the gold, and the side-lane leverage. For EM 2026, it is a reminder that a team can lose the early narrative without losing the map.

Polymarket Trajectory

The market’s arc mirrored Arctic Pandas’ uneven control of the series. It started with Pyramid IV Esports at only 28%, then was forced to reverse sharply after their Game 1 upset. Arctic Pandas restored much of that confidence by winning Game 2, a result the market read correctly, but the final reset toward Arctic Pandas underestimated the same structural signal that had appeared in the opener. Pyramid IV Esports’ roster repeatedly found value in drafts the live model rated at 51%, particularly when scaling, protection, and side-lane pressure could turn a close game into map control. The market identified Arctic Pandas’ ability to rebound, but it did not fully account for Pyramid IV Esports’ superior late-game conversion.

Series Stats

FAQ

*Odds via Polymarket, 2026-09-22 21:37 UTC.*